The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1925. A TONIC SPEECIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1925. A TONIC SPEECIL.

. I!! Jnsm-il \Y.\ltl>‘s spec Ii a! lii"'ieargill mi Monday night was the sort ul >|>v’< ■<■!i u lii' li -Jionhl tin New Zealand good al tiii-. lime wlu-n tin; general “■ elect i<>n is -.( 1 1 ist urlnng a t)n• 11 e l l l . Tin- huanrial aspect is the mast important Inr tlic whole country. anil Sir Joseph's utteraiiois i.ll caution arc well timed. There is no one more aide to speak with authority on the finances of the country, for there is no one who has heel) more successful than Sir Joseph in handling the public finances of the Dominion. He came into power ns | an administrator imbued with the need 'of self-reliance in regard to finance, as put in the forefront of the Liberal policy at the outset and from that wellbalanced beginning he newer departjj cd. New Zealand linance under the g 11 i d ino hand of Sir Jose])h flourished. There was never a time, whether as first lieutenant of Premier Seddon, ns Prime Minister himself, or when ns Minister of Finance in the Coalition j Ministry, that he did not strive conspicuously as tlic responsible Minister direction the linance of the country, j The records hear out all this, and we know that even in the most difficult times of the war period he luiill: up in London -e -unties w hich placed the linancial standing of New Zealand be- ■ .vond reproach. So sueeessful has lie been with the finance that there is . a very universal desire from all parts ( id the country to see Sir Joseph in ) Parliament attain. As a member he Would lie a most able critic and adviser. We hope that the time is coming that the handling of our vast finnneos will tint he left solely to any sinelc Minister or party, hut rather that there will lie a grand committee oi Finance drawn from all parties In the Tfotise who sliall have the opportunity of reviewing the finances of the country with all the knowledge and information that the Treasury can reveal. The figures are now very large, and the committments so great that finan o has outgrown party, and for the sake ol the Dominion it should lie governed and directed nationally, and with the one desire and determination to keep the credit of New Zealand Ixyvond reproach. and taxation within reasonable hounds. Sir Joseph Ward very properly spoke ol the increasing volume of expenditure. and rightly urged that it should he reviewed. A Cram] Committee of Finam-C could do that necessary work leisurely and the more thoroughly, for it seems to us to tie the most desirable point where reform in liname should begin. Saving in expenditure could directly reduce the .need tor borrowing, ami at once avoid the increasing load in interest. The * whole subject is so vital to the future * nt Xcw Zealand witli its weight of hor- J rowed money and programme for a huge public works expenditure to com- } letc railways and hydro-electric works 1 in hand, to say nothing of roads and bridges and other public works looming * np as a public necessity.' that finance s ' for the time being becomes the first and last consideration. The great contribution of Sir Joseph Ward to the V( political history of tin's country. ' whether domestic or Imperial, entitles him to the highest consideration at the hands of the people, and his return to Parliament will lie more universally '[-i welcomed at this period than pro- I ~ bnlhv any other candidate in the field. ve I lie subjects covered by the address of j (( ■in- Joseph at Invercargill showed his ■*' vide grip of the country's needs in re- ti , rani to general politics. His reviewbowed a statesmanlike survey of what s essential in regard to a general po- *' iev- That successful, many of the ;lt rimniings with which. Labor for intnnoe. adores its platform, will come a pass in due course. But without s ai aue and stable government, which an

means all that is essential in sound administration. Labor or any other party would find it impossible to add the trimmings which it- holds out to catch the votes of the unwary. More small farm settlement, declared Sir Joseph, is essential, in which we seem to hear a re-echo of tin lands for settlement legislation. ol which the l.iferal Government with which .Sir Joseph was first associated, was the prime movers. Sir Joseph, too. was aide to refer in a practical way to the administration of Imth customs and railways. In regard to general experience of the business of the country. Sir Joseph Ward can he regarded as flic one man living in Xew Zealand, who has the most intimate knowledge of its ramifications. lie has held the most important portfolios and been Prime Minister. His work as Post mn.ster(ieneral placed the Dominion the first; in the world, his management of the Roiluavs was most successful. As Minister of Finance figures prove how well Hid hew safely he handled the national finance, first with .Mr Sodden. then in his own government, and later in the Xalional Government. Sir Joseph Ward has been proved in statesimin--hip, and his sound Imperial views and (I,lined loyalty to the Empire, stamp him as a most eligible, in fact, most necessary member of Parliament at tills juncture. It seems to ti, the Dominion is fortunate in having such valued ser- \ ires at its disposal.